Stories of Ransei
by Haya-dono
Summary: A Pokemon Conquest set of Drabbles/One-Shots of Yukimura/Heroine.
1. Wish

_AN: Thanks to CinderHawk for beta-reading it. Also, Rinne Hanamura is the name of the Heroine in these drabbles/one-shots._

* * *

Bright colored papers are scattered across the dimly lit room. Several origami figurines can be seen lying in the small table where a young girl is sitting next to. She is busy, folding and folding a bright blue sheet. Across the table sits a young man, watching the girl work diligently. He smiles as she proudly shows him her newest finished figurine, and she then proceeds to pick another sheet.

"Hey Yukimura, do you know how to make origami figurines?" Rinne asks.

"Well…" Yukimura takes a sheet and begins folding it while Rinne watches him attentively. After some minutes he is done and shows her a slightly crumpled pink dog, making her chuckle. "I never said I was good at it, though."

She puts down her finished blue piece and takes a new sheet. They fall silent; the only thing that can be heard is the paper being folded over and over.

"Cranes…" Yukimura says as he looks at all the finished figures the girl has made. There seem to be 400 or 500 cranes lying around the floor. Or maybe not; since there is a big pile of them in one of the corners, their numbers could be between 900. "Do you intend to make a wish, Lady Rinne?"

She smiles warmly at him, folding a new crane, a green one this time. "Oh, so you know about the story. If you fold one thousand cranes-"

"A crane will come and grant you a wish." Yukimura finishes. "But you need to tie all of them with strings, Lady Rinne."

She looks at the piles of colorful, neatly folded cranes around her and grimaces nervously. "I kinda forgot about that part…"

Both stare at each other. He smiles as she breaks into laughter.

"Wouldn't it be nice?" Rinne says softly, wondering. She's already done with the green crane. "Getting one wish granted. What would you ask for, Yukimura?"

Yukimura closes his eyes, deep in thought. "I want to protect everyone with my own strength and show the world my path as a warrior. I wouldn't wish for it to be done, but rather to be able to do so, so that my legend is told to future generations."

Amazed at his answer, she grins. "Wow, you are really something else, Yukimura." Others would simply ask for the safety of their loved ones, for strength, for things to be done. But Yukimura would wish for the opportunity to show his might and create his own legend.

"What about you, Lady Rinne?"

"Well, I would wish for everyone to be happy," she replies, as she folds carefully another sheet. The dim lights hid a faint, sad smile across her face.

Yukimura nods as he watches her fold the crane. "That is a wonderful wish, but…" His tone becomes solemn as he speaks.

"But impossible, right? Yeah, I guess." Shrugging nonchalantly, she continues folding her crane. "Things like that will never be solved so easily."

They fall silent again. Yukimura watches and Rinne folds the crane, her gaze fixed on the little origami figure. Time goes by.

"But you know…" she looks up and meets his eyes. "Even if I couldn't ask for everyone's happiness, I…"

She gets up, and goes around the table, careful not to step on any cranes in the floor. She sits next to Yukimura and takes his right hand, placing a small, red crane. She smiles at him.

_I wish for your happiness, Yukimura._


	2. Strength

_A.N: Second One-shot, this time it is about Tarot and their card meanings. It is not beta-read, so, if you notice any typos, mistakes or things that could be improved or corrected, feel free to point them out._

* * *

Three people were gathered at a table where several cards, books, and a tea set were scattered. It was a warm afternoon, some minutes past three. None of them had an urgent matter to attend and decided to have a friendly chat with some freshly made green tea. They had been at it for an hour now and it didn't seem like they had ran out of topics.

Motonari looked at the curious and interested faces of Rinne and Yukimura as he spoke, "The addition of the 22 Major Arcana around 1440 resulted in the creation of the standard 78-card Tarot deck, which has been used nowadays in divination. However, back then these cards lacked any meaningful significance; they were used to play a card game similar to bridge. Only the upper classes would be able to buy tarot decks, as they were expensive works of art, being hand-painted and adorned with gold."

Motonari took a sip of his tea as he started to feel a bit thirsty. Just as he drank it, Rinne seemed to suddenly remember that she was holding a cup with tea as well. She had been too into Motonari's lecture that she had forgotten about it. She took a sip and immediately grimaced.

"Ugh, bitter!" she said, making a disgusted face. She picked four sugar cubes from a small tray and was going to add them to her cup when she felt Motonari's disapproving gaze.

"Lady Rinne, you aren't supposed to add sugar to your green tea," said Motonari, shaking his head.

She looked displeased at Motonari and replied, "But it is so bitter! I can't drink it. How isn't your mouth dropping from the bitterness?"

Yukimura cleared his throat and with a polite, almost pleading, tone asked, "Lady Rinne, are you sure you should be adding four cubes of sugar? Isn't that-"

"You are right, Yukimura!" Rinne smiled at him as she dropped the four cubes into her tea and then picked another two. "It won't be enough."

"…That was not what I meant to say," he muttered, slightly dejected. Rinne was busy mixing the sugar with her tea and didn't seem to hear him.

Motonari shook his head again, this time smiling at the younger Warlords. He took another sip, before continuing his talk, "It was until the decade of 1780 that Tarot was tied to the occult world, with the works of the _Court de Gébelin_ and the _Comte_ _de_ _Mellet_ discussing Tarot in occult terms and the publishing of the Ettellia Tarot deck, a deck made specifically for divination. Each Arcana received a specific meaning, and the designs of the cards were vastly different from the decks of 1440."

"Comet of Mellet? Who comes up with those names?" Rinne said, looking confused at Yukimura.

Yukimura thought for a second, "I believe it is a title, Lady Rinne. If I recall correctly, it means Earl."

She pressed her lips with her index finger, thoughtfully. "Is that so? You'd be Comet Yukimura… That sounds ridiculous. No offense, though," she hurried to say, giving him an apologetic smile.

Yukimura shook his head, smiling softly at her. "None taken. I agree it sounds bad." She chuckled at the last part. Motonari gave a small laugh as well.

Motonari finished his cup and refilled it with the bitter green tea as he spoke, "However, occult tarot did not bloom immediately, and it only became popular as a fortune-telling method in the 19th century. This settled Tarot as a vital tool to predict the future, and became strongly associated with the occult and mysticism. Nowadays, people are trying to use it as a way for personal growth, through means of a story of self-discovery. Each card in the Major Arcana represents a stage in the life of the Fool. Oh, I seem to have got carried away. What were we talking about?"

Rinne almost squealed as she interrupted Motonari, "Oh, I know that! The path of the Fool and the meaning of the Major Arcana. I didn't know much about history, but I'm interested in the meanings."

Yukimura looked at her, intrigued, and asked, "Are you interested in Tarot, Lady Rinne?"

She scratched the back of her head, smiling sheepishly. "I'm not into reading the future or anything, but the whole thing about Tarot saying stuff about your personality really gets me."

Motonari nodded at her. "Oh? So you know the Major Arcana cards and their story? Yukimura, do you know about them." Motonari looked at Yukimura, who shook his head, seeming a bit lost on the topic and what they were talking about.

Rinne puffed out her chest, proud to be able to contribute to the talk. "Yes, it's the Fool, the Magician, the High Empress, the Emperor, the Hierophant, the Lovers, the Chariot, Justice, the Hermit, the Wheel of Fortune, Strength, the Hanged Man, Death, Temperance, the Devil, the Tower, the Star, the Moon, the Sun, Judgement, and the World… Woah,"she said almost without breath. She had mentioned all the names too fast without breathing as she counted the cards with her fingers.

"You didn't need to say them so fast. You lost me at the Hanged Man, and it seems Yukimura didn't understand all of the names," Motonari apparently chided to Rinne, however a small smile betrayed his tone.

Yukimura shook his head and replied, "I was able to follow Lady Rinne. However, I couldn't help but notice… Do they have a specific order, Lady Rinne? You seemed to count them to keep track of what was next."

She smiled at him nervously. "You got me on that, haha. Yes, they have a certain order; it has to do with the Fool's journey throughout life. The Fool meets people with the motifs of all the Major Arcana cards throughout his life. I know it seems stupid, but I think it's pretty deep."

Motonari looked at her and asked, "Oh, so you know the meanings, right? Which one would you say fits me?" He was grinning, curiously.

She put her hands on her hips and looked at him, quizzically. "Motonari, huh?" After some seconds of consideration, she smiled and replied, "The Hierophant."

Motonari arched an eyebrow, seemingly interested, while Yukimura looked at Rinne, lost on the topic.

"So, the Hierophant is supposed to be the link between God and humanity. He's like a guide, someone involved with religion," she explained to Yukimura. "However that is not the only meaning. He is usually associated with knowledge and education. He'd be like a teacher, I guess. After all, he's supposed to teach men about the teachings of God or something. So I think it suits you," she finished, turning to Motonari.

Motonari looked at Rinne, slightly amused. "Do you see me like that, Princess?" he asked, while taking another sip of his tea, hiding a grin behind the tea cup.

Motonari Mouri, a man interested in Pokemon research. Rinne had found that he was a genius in strategy and immediately sought for his aid in her conquest of Ransei. Despite his reluctance to battling, he proved to be a formidable addition to her army. However, Motonari's heart lay in the academics; he aimed to be a Pokemon researcher and usually shared his knowledge of any topics he knew something about. He would eagerly talk for hours, something that got on the nerves of Warlords like Ginchiyo. However, Rinne found delight in his lectures, never missing a chance to ask him about something she was curious about. For her, he was a source of knowledge, a guide.

She nodded eagerly, possibly too much, making Motonari chuckle. "Interesting, Princess. I am glad you enjoy my lectures."

Rinne grinned at Motonari in return. She then turned to Yukimura, and excitedly asked, "So, Yukimura, would you like to know your Arcana?"

She seemed so enthusiastic to answer that, so Yukimura nodded in agreement. He wasn't really into occult things but he couldn't help to be a bit curious about her opinion of him.

"I've already thought about your Arcana," she replied, feeling pretty proud of herself. "Strength."

Yukimura looked at her, slightly confused about it. Judging from the name, the answer seemed obvious, someone strong. However, Yukimura knew he was far from being the strongest warrior in their army, or in Ransei. If anyone talked about the strongest, people would mention Nobunaga Oda or Tadakatsu Honda from Nobunaga's Army. In their army, they had the support of Shingen Takeda and Kenshin Uesugi, who were more experienced warriors than him.

"I do not think I am as strong as you think, Lady Rinne," Yukimura replied.

Just as he spoke, he felt Motonari's gaze on him. "I don't think that is what the Princess is referring about. The Strength is more than that."

Rinne took a sip of her extremely sugary green tea, before answering. Yukimura's doubt about her choice didn't seem to affect her opinion. For her, Yukimura was the Strength. "Well, Strength is pretty awesome, you know?" She took another sip and put her cup down. "It's not only brute force, but something deeper. It implies mastery of oneself."

Yukimura blinked, still confused about the meaning of the card. "I am afraid I do not understand what you are saying, Lady Rinne."

"Well, how can I put this? You are just like the card. You are so passionate…" Rinne began to explain. Yukimura listened to her attentively, but Motonari could see something more to that. Her eyes lit up as she spoke, "It's like there is something deep inside you that drives you to excel, to accomplish something. You use that to move forward, overcoming whatever you face, never giving up. But you use your own strength to do your own battles and pursue your dream. You are so courageous and disciplined, I really admire that."

Yukimura's eyes were fixed on her as he eagerly registered every word she said about him. Receiving this kind of praise from someone he swore loyalty to, it was something he wished deeply. Every time his Lord Shingen gave him a compliment, he would bow down and thank Shingen from the bottom of his heart for his kind words, promising to improve even more. But this time, it was different.

"But you know… That's not all," Rinne continued. "You are strong, but you're also really kind…" Her voice wavered, as she unconsciously pressed her hand against her chest, smiling softly. "You are always in control of yourself, but you never forget to help others, and you're always gentle and warm…"

Yukimura stared down at his cup, the tea had grown cold. He found himself smiling faintly and he wondered why. Was it her tone, her words? There was nothing extraordinary in the words she said, but it made him happy. He was too caught up in his thoughts to notice how his heart had beaten faster and faster as she praised him, or how that flame in his heart, which he would only feel in the battlefield, had begin to burn. That small, special flame had begin to grow.

She fell silent. She had so many things to say to him. She wanted to tell him how he looked so focused when he was training, and she couldn't help but admire him from afar. In battle, he'd never back down, even against all odds. Their latest battle, in Cragspur, almost resulted in their loss. However, against all odds, Yukimura and his Emboar fought and resisted everything the enemy gave them, when any other warrior would have run away. After the battle, even if he had been worn out, Yukimura had approached her and offered to help her and her Eevee's injuries, never worrying about his.

Motonari looked at the young girl, and gave her a knowing-smile she didn't notice. She probably spent nights thinking about what Arcana would suit Yukimura best. That would be typical of her, going to great lengths to show her admiration for him. Yukimura's reaction was also amusing as well. He poured another cup for himself, as he muffled a small laugh. _Youth these days_, he thought.

Deciding they had had enough silence, Motonari cleared his throat. Yukimura seemed to snap back at reality and took a sip of his tea, finally realizing it was too cold and he should have drank it time ago. Motonari cleared his throat again, louder, but Rinne seemed to into her own thoughts to notice. He put down his cup, making noise harsher than he wanted it to be.

Rinne jumped when she heard the bump Motonari's cup made, and almost threw her own cup. She managed to grab it before it flew and the tea would pour out. "I wasn't thinking about Yukimura!" she yelled. Immediately, her eyes widened and she quickly drank the rest of her tea in one shot, while trying to hide her face behind her cup. Yukimura turned to look at her quizzically as Motonari just stared at her, trying to hide a grin.

"Sure, you weren't, Princess," replied calmly Motonari. "Anyway, now that you seem to be back with us, which would be your Arcana, Princess?"

"M-my Arcana?" she said avoiding, painfully obviously, Motonari's knowing gaze. "Uh, I, uh, I guess…" She desperately thought of something, but nothing seemed to come to her mind at the moment. Yukimura looking at her didn't help her at all.

"Well, if you ask me, Princess, I'd say you could be the Sun," Motonari remarked. He added, for Yukimura's sake, "The Sun means someone who has a positive outlook on life, an optimistic and innocent person. It represents being radiant and vibrant, and a sense of accomplishment. You have already noticed the Princess is pretty honest and straightforward, full of life, right?" Yukimura nodded at the last remark.

"Aww, Motonari," Rinne replied with a giggle, "Stop it, you are making me…"

"But people like that can overindulge in themselves and not take things seriously, like small kids," Motonari continued cheerfully.

Rinne pouted and folded her arms across her chest. "Hey!"

Motonari drank his tea, leisurely, which in turn made Rinne frown. "Haha, thanks for ignoring me, Motonari."

Yukimura offered more tea to Rinne, which she accepted. Then he poured more tea to his own cup, and said, "Well, I do believe it fits you, Lady Rinne. You are always full of life and enthusiastic. I think you spread your vitality to others in the army, myself included." He gave her a warm smile. Rinne took her cup and gulped down the tea, not noticing how bitter and hot it was. It was natural, though, since her face seemed to have turned as red as Yukimura's armor and was burning probably more than the tea she had just taken.

Motonari shook his head, "Princess, you shouldn't drink it so quickly. You'll burn your tongue…"

Rinne whimpered, as she grimaced in pain, sticking out her tongue. "Too late…"

The older man sighed. "Princess, you should be careful. Anyway, I do think you could be the Sun, but… But maybe you have some shades of the Moon as well."

Rinne stared at Motonari for some seconds, and she asked Yukimura for the tea pot. Serving more tea, she said softly, "…Maybe you are right." She smiled at Yukimura and Motonari, as she put down the tea pot.

* * *

_A.N.: The Moon Arcana means illusions, things that are not as they seem. It is also highly related to magic, inspiration,and mysticism._


	3. Siblings

_A.N.: Thanks to CinderHawk for beta-reading it._

* * *

"Hey Yukimura, do you have siblings?" the female Warlord of Aurora, Rinne Hanamura, asked the brown-haired Warlord, Yukimura Sanada, sitting next to her. He was in the middle of reading some reports on Terrera's training, so her question startled him for a second.

It had been so random. They had been previously discussing whether to delegate their Army in Terrera to improve their Link with Pokemon or to make use of their power force to dig up gold and improve their facilities. So, naturally, a personal question like his family situation would take him off guard.

Yukimura blinked, hesitating for a second as he looked at the girl, who wasn't sitting like him but was sprawled on her belly on the _tatami_ floor. It wasn't unusual for her to sit or stay in odd positions while discussing serious topics; by now he was already used to it, but it did strike him as odd that she was turning her back to him.

"Yes, Lady Rinne. I have an older brother. His name is Nobuyuki."

"So you're the little one in the family…" It wasn't a question, but her wondering tone made Yukimura hesitate again before answering affirmatively. "What is he like, Yukimura?" she quietly asked.

He had stopped reading the report by then, but Yukimura realized he was still holding the papers. Putting them down, he replied, smiling softly as he spoke, "he is a kind, brave, and loyal warrior. He and my father are warriors delegated to protect our Kingdom of Terrera, under Lord Shingen's command. He is smart and experienced. I wish to be as good as him, he inspires me to improve."

As he praised his brother, Rinne wrapped her legs with her arms, still laying on her side on the floor, seemingly interested in the woven straw mats. However, she listened attentively to every single word he said.

Both fell silent. Yukimura looked at her, but she didn't move or say anything. He wondered if he was imagining things, as he thought that something was wrong with the usually happy and easily excited Warlord. He waited for a moment, then picked up the third page of the report, even if he had finished it a while ago, and attempted to scan it.

"…What does he think of you, Yukimura?" she suddenly asked, interrupting Yukimura's ineffective reading. She didn't turn to look at him.

Yukimura carefully considered asking her if something was wrong, but decided against it for now. It would be wrong of him to ignore her question, especially as he could now see that something was bothering her.

"He tells me that I still have a lot to learn, but that he is proud of me being able to serve Lord Shingen." He stopped as he thought he heard her whimper weakly, unsure if he should continue.

As if she seemed to read his mind, she shook her head, almost hinting him to continue. Yukimura nodded to himself and spoke, "I guess he disapproves of me dedicating myself entirely to training… He says I am still young and I should try other things…" his voice wavered as he found himself remembering all the advice his brother would give him and how Nobuyuki would smack him lightly for taking everything too seriously. A faint smile traced upon Yukimura's lips as the talk brought him back fond memories of the time he spent with his brother. "I am grateful for everything he has done for me."

It was now clear to Rinne that Yukimura loved his brother, and his brother loved him back. She hugged herself more tightly as she thought of the bonds between the two Sanada brothers. Sure, they seemed to argue, with Yukimura on the receiving end of talks, but they were really close. As brothers should be, she thought bitterly. Her tightly closed lips curved into a downcast frown.

Yukimura waited for any reaction from the girl. From his position, he couldn't see the young girl grimace in sorrow, choking back tears as best as she could. Just as he moved his hand to tap on her shoulder and ask if she was okay, Rinne's lips parted as she whispered, "You and your brother… I'm so jealous." Her voice broke. She bit her bottom lip, trying to stop herself from saying anything else. She knew that if she did, she'd break down.

Yukimura gently placed his hand on her shoulder. She flinched at his touch and moved her head as closer as she could to the floor. She hoped her hair would be able to hide her face, should Yukimura try to look at her eyes. She didn't' want him to see her like this.

"Lady Rinne, are you alright?"

She shut her eyes as she heard him say the last words she wanted to hear at the moment. She nodded as she slowly stood up, her back facing Yukimura. Yukimura stood up as well. If he wouldn't drop the subject, she'd just have to leave before he could say anything else. Judging from his tone, he was worried about her, but seemed ignorant at how bad she truly was feeling. She took a deep breath. If she could just hold it, she'd excuse herself, leave the room and be okay.

It was now the time for her to show her best smile, just as she used to do. _At your darkest point, even when you are feeling so miserable, just smile and bright up_, she thought. _Even if you think your life is worthless, just smile and hope... Hope that no one notices and move on._

It was time for her to do it. She breathed deeply and turned at him, eyes close and smiling brightly. "I am fine," she said in her usual cheerful tone.

"Thanks for asking," was the follow up she was going to say. However, just as she opened her mouth, Yukimura's voice interrupted her, "Lady Rinne, please forgive me." Then, she found herself surrounded by Yukimura's strong arms.

"Wha-?" she managed to say, as she tried to break free from his embrace, but Yukimura wouldn't let go. He pulled her closer to him.

"Yu-Yukimura, I am fine," she managed to squeal. Her voice was shaking.

"No, you are not," he whispered gently to her ear, as he hugged her.

Rinne was unsure if it had been his embrace or his voice, but whatever it had been, it made her lips tremble as she failed to choke back a heartbreaking wail. She broke down in his arms, crying loudly, desperately. Her hands reached Yukimura's back, gripping his armor and clothes until her fingers turned white. Her grieving moans echoed in the room, as she felt her hot tears fall down freely, never stopping.

Her legs gave away, and she would found herself falling to the floor were it not for Yukimura's arms holding her. Carefully, Yukimura knelt down, lowering the two of them to the ground until they were both sitting on their knees. Rinne then flung her arms around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder, as if she tried to silence her intensifying wails.

Yukimura froze, perplexed. He had been taken by surprise, seeing her so miserable while she was clinging to him crying her heart out. He cursed himself for not knowing what to say in these situations. He was never ready or used to them and he was clueless on what to do. However, he genuinely wanted for her to find some sort of solace, he wished to make her feel better somehow. He chided himself mentally, now wasn't the time to fret over his clumsiness. He had to do something for her.

He leaned his head against hers, holding her tightly close to him with one arm while he rubbed her back awkwardly with the other. He didn't say anything, but continued comforting as best as he could until her cries subdued. They stayed like that for a long time.

She had finally been sobbing quietly, when she managed to mutter, "I'm so sorry."

He shook his head, "Don't be."

She leaned her forehead on his shoulder as her grip on his back lessened. "I saw my brother today…" she muttered. "I wanted to talk to him, but…" Her voice quivered and broke.

Slowly, Rinne told Yukimura everything about her unexpected encounter with her older brother. How her brother was so disgusted when she approached him in the market while she was shopping for the ingredients for today's meal. How when she tried to talk to him, he refused to answer, walking away and making her run to him to even talk. How he had told her to stop fooling around, because unlike her, who was pointlessly wasting her life, he had bigger plans for himself, trying to see if he could join an army. He berated her for wasting her time in Cragspur instead of defending Aurora from the Warlord who had conquered 10 Kingdoms, including Terrera and Illusio, ruled by the only men who Nobunaga seemed to be afraid of. It'd fall up to him to pray for the protection of the little Kingdom of Aurora, which was run by the worst suited person, chosen out of favoritism, rather than skills.

Her brother never stopped to listen to her, and the only time he did, Rinne wished he had never done it.

"I will never join you or your army. Every single day of my life, I regret to wake up and think that my beloved Aurora is in your hands. If you are in Aurora, I have no place to go, no home. I have no sister. Now, leave me alone, _stranger_," he finished, spitting at her face before walking away.

Yukimura listened to her, growing upset with each passing second as he listened how the Warlord, the girl in his arms, had been dishonored and ridiculed by the jealousy of a powerless man who was her brother. It had never occurred to her brother that his failure of a sister could have become the same Warlord who directly opposed Nobunaga. And now, that strong and determined Warlord had been reduced to tears, his poisonous words causing her more damage than any she had received in battle. He had so much to say, but he considered his words carefully. Even if Rinne's brother was a most despicable and pitiful man, it was still her family and she still considered him part of it, despite her brother's opinion of her.

"Lady Rinne," he began, "I apologize for not being there, to stop that man from uttering those insults towards you."

She shook her head forcefully, squinting her eyes, causing her tears to fall. "You don't have to apologize, Yukimura… I… I believe he is ri-"

"No, he is not," Yukimura interjected, shaking his head in disapproval. "A brother or sister should never refer to his flesh and blood like that. Even after fighting and quarrelling, siblings should support and love each other. I am afraid to say that he is not someone worthy enough to be called 'Brother' by you, Lady Rinne."

"I…" She lowered her head, as Yukimura's soft voice rang through her ears.

"I cannot refer to you as my sister, but I can refer to you as the Warlord I pledged my loyalty to. Ever since you recruited me in Terrera, I have seen what you have been and are capable of." He patted her head as he talked. "You are still young, but I see clearly your kindness and genuine wish and determination to bring this land to peace. I am glad to be able to follow someone like you. I am sure the other Warlords who have joined you think the same."

He broke the hug, but didn't move apart from her. His eyes met her tear-stained face, as she continued to weep. Her eyes were already puffy and her nose was crimson for all the time she had been crying, a couple of hours now.

He cupped her face with his hands and brushed away her tears with his thumbs. He seemed to do a poor job, as he had to repeat the action twice, making her chuckle weakly. He smiled warmly at her, taking her hands with his own, still wet from her tears. She returned a faint, shy smile, looking at him meekly.

"Thank you, Yukimura."

* * *

_A.N.: Thank you for reading this. I hope you enjoyed it._


	4. Flowers

_A.N.: This one goes around floriography, the language of flowers, the meanings flowers have. It can be used to express feelings to some situations, to send secret messages or to impress someone. It was big in the Victorian-era, but there is still some charm to it._

_Also, to the people who have read my previous fics and stories, to those who have left comments or favorites, I am grateful for your support and kind words. I hope you enjoy it._

* * *

In the middle of a massive beautiful garden, in a courtyard, some unusual noises broke the normal silence that reigned there. Two young energetic people were sparring there alongside their Pokemon. They were none other than Yukimura Sanada and his Emboar against Kanetsugu Naoe and his Gardevoir. The sun was shining and the sky was clear, perfect for a noon stroll or a friendly match, as the Warlords had thought. They were too focused in their fight to notice that they weren't the only ones who had decided to enjoy the gardens and the excellent weather. A group of ladies, Rinne Hanamura, Oichi, and the dragged-against-her-will Ginchiyo Tachibana were passing by, paying attention to the flowers grown there, the pride and joy of Motonari's castle in Greenleaf.

It was the middle of the spring and everyone had traveled there to enjoy one of the most impressive views in Ransei. Several had mentioned that even setting foot there could make anyone feel at peace with themselves. Motonari himself had encouraged them to take a small break and sent the younger warriors while he, Shingen, and Kenshin kept guard in their frontlines in Terrera and Illusio.

"It is not good for an army to be so tense all the time. You should go and relax a little," he said.

Obviously he meant 'Enjoy the views of my greenhouse' and not 'fight until you die of exhaustion', which was exactly what Yukimura and Kanetsugu were doing. Ginchiyo would have done something similar as well if it hadn't been for Oichi and Rinne, who came across her and managed to convince her to go for a stroll in the gardens. The same gardens where the two Junior Warlords and their Pokemon were fighting.

"I love flowers," Oichi stated as she leaned close to smell a lilac flower, most likely lavender. "They are beautiful and looking at them soothes my spirit."

Ginchiyo almost nodded before she stopped herself and stared at one small rosebud, which had just begun to bloom. It looked so fragile, so unnoticed in garden full of blossoms. She moved her hand and gently touched the tiny red petals that started to be in view. Oichi smiled as she saw Ginchiyo admiring the flowers. The most prideful and fierce lady Warlord in Ransei would never say in front of anyone that she liked something like gardening or flowers. She'd think admitting such hobbies would be unbecoming of the Tachibana pride and injure her own pride as the leader of her clan. Then, something occurred to Oichi.

"Lady Ginchiyo, Lady Rinne, do you know about the language of flowers?"

"I've heard some things about it, but they are not of interest to me," Ginchiyo replied.

Rinne, on the other hand, didn't answer. She stared at the middle of the courtyard, where Kanetsugu and Yukimura were sparring. Emboar and Gardevoir were resting, observing their masters exchange blows, still too engaged in their match to notice anything about the world around them.

Seeing Rinne's mind was somewhere else, Oichi tapped on Rinne's shoulder, making her snap out and come back to her senses.

"Huh! Wha…? Yeah, flowers are something…" she hastily replied, realizing she had spaced out.

"Lady Rinne, do you know about the language of flowers?" Oichi tried again, with a smile.

Rinne cleared her throat, trying to conceal her embarrassment. "Do you mean things like roses mean love and that stuff?"

Oichi nodded as she walked towards a patch full of yellow tulips. "For example, these flowers mean hopeless love." She then walked towards some carnations of different colors. "Carnations have different meanings, depending on their color. Mixed colors mean 'pride and beauty', while pink ones mean 'I will never forget you'. Red Carnations mean 'pure love' and white ones mean 'endearment'."

Oichi moved towards some bulbs next to where Rinne was standing, and she stroke carefully one. This one is small, but it'll become a beautiful violet."

Rinne, completely impressed and caught by Oichi's lecture on flowers, gaped at the girl in total awe. "Wow, you know a lot. You even recognize flowers and bulbs and know all their names! All I know is that they are pretty and have petals."

Ginchiyo, folding her arms, approached Oichi. "Surely, this knowledge has some use," she casually stated.

Oichi replied as she clasped her hands, "Of course! You can send messages to people as a way to convey your feelings, like giving the person you love a bouquet of roses. In funerals, people usually give white lilies to mean mourning. But you already knew this, I'm sure, Lady Ginchiyo."

"I do not know what you are talking about," Ginchiyo said defiantly, still folding her arms, almost protectively against her chest and looked away. Oichi had to bit her inner lip to prevent herself from chuckling.

"So…" Rinne looked at the two women, as she casted side glances to the courtyard. Yukimura's spear was driving Kanetsugu back, but Kanetsugu didn't seem worried at all. "So… if I were to send these flowers to someone, what would they mean?" she said, pointing at some deep red flowers which looked like hearts with something yellow in the middle.

"Oh, Lady Rinne, you'd not want to send those…" Oichi said, in a lower voice than usual. Seeing Rinne's dumbfounded face, she cleared her throat as she was looking for the appropriate words. Rinne looked at her, even more confused. _It looks like a cute, red heart. What is wrong with that?_, she thought.

"Look at the spike, the yellow part, of the flower closely," Ginchiyo said. Rinne got closer to the flowers, and tilted her head. Immediately, her face flushed deep red, a color which only intensified when Ginchiyo stated plainly, "It's an _Anthurium_, it means 'lust'."

"I-I didn't mean! I-I thought they were cute! I swear I don't-!" Rinne looked again at the flowers, and turned away completely mortified at the serious innuendo she innocently had been about to make. If she had given him that flower… She covered her face with her hands.

They eventually resumed looking at the flowers, as they walked through the garden. Blue, red, white, pink. Yellow, lilac, orange. Flowers of all colors, shapes, sizes, and even fragrances, spread across the green grass and bushes across them. Motonari had all the right to feel proud of his garden, it was a view that only few things in Ransei could compare to. As they walked, Ginchiyo demanded the names of the flowers they had in front of them. Oichi complied without questioning and even included the meanings. Hawthorn means 'hope'. Iris can be used to convey a message. Heathers are good to wish good luck to someone. Bright colored Anemones mean 'forsaken' while small, adorable Yarrows meant 'war'. The white or dark purple Angelica flowers mean inspiration, maybe because their oddly-shaped blossoms encourage oneself to break through normal conventions. Night-blooming cereus mean transient beauty, fitting as the beautiful flowers only bloom at night and have short-lived lifespans. A dozen of Oleanders, magenta, almost friendly-looking flowers, means in reality 'caution'.

Just as they were back to where they started, Rinne absent-mindedly asked, "Can you say you are like a flower?" Her eyes were staring neither at Oichi nor Ginchiyo, but at the courtyard. Kanetsugu had managed to fence off Yukimura's attacks, and, with a combination of his holy slips and his sword play drove Yukimura back. Yukimura could only block some of Kanetsugu's attacks. She unconsciously brought her hands, clutched into fists to her chest.

"Yes, they can, Lady Rinne. For example, if I may, Lady Ginchiyo, you'd be like a Cardinal Flower," Oichi said.

Ginchiyo looked at Oichi, almost hinting for an explanation. The name was vaguely familiar, but between the dozens of flowers and meanings, Oichi couldn't expect her to remember that uncommon one. Oichi gave her an understanding smile, as she walked.

"If you come with me, please."

Ginchiyo followed her suit, but turned back and saw Rinne standing in the same spot, unaware they were moving.

"Hanamura," she said.

She flinched at her last name being called, turning to look at an impatient Ginchiyo, hinting her to move. Blushing slightly as she had spaced out, not that it wasn't the third or fourth time already, she ran towards Ginchiyo and followed her obediently. However, she kept trying to look in the corner of her eye and get some glances of the battle.

The three women formed a line, with Oichi at the front, followed by Ginchiyo and then Rinne. Oichi was trying to remember where she'd seen the Cardinal flowers, so she stopped in the intersections of the gardens, trying to see where they were. However, more than once had Rinne walked into Ginchiyo, as she was too into the fight to look in front of her, earning some scolding from the female Warlord.

When Oichi had finally figured out where the Cardinal flowers were, she showed them to the girls. "This flower means 'Pride'. Look at how the flowers, the blossoms, stand tall, defying gravity. I believe it suits you, Lady Ginchiyo."

Ginchiyo leaned closer at the tall flowers, with long, star-shaped red petals, as if she analyzed whether Oichi was right. The flower, its meaning, she couldn't deny it was an accurate description of what she strived to be.

Oichi continued, "There are other flowers that mean pride, for example, Amarylis and roses."

"Roses?" Rinne asked, for once paying attention, or as much as she could spare right then. She pondered in silence about why roses could mean pride. "Does it have to do with how they have torns, so not everyone can get close to them? Like they are special."

Oichi shrugged as she smiled warmly at Rinne. "I am afraid I don't know."

"But… Hmph…" she continued, "I think the other one, the, um, _cardigan_ one was better. I mean, you are sometimes scary and stern but you aren't a bad person. And, so, you are something more than a clichéd ice queen or 'thorn' queen from stories…" she said thoughtfully.

"What is that supposed to mean?" said Ginchiyo sternly, her fierce tone made Rinne give some steps back and avoid her eyes completely.

With her hands in front of her chest, she added hastily, "I-I didn't mean it like that! You are kinda scary but… like… I, I mean… You are scary but nice but… Ah! I'm sorry!"

After staying some seconds in silence and waiting for Ginchiyo to stop staring at her, completely terrified by the Warlord, Rinne eventually looked away, fixing her gaze in the courtyard. Kanetsugu and Yukimura were battling, but it was clear that the showdown was almost over.

Ginchiyo turned from Rinne, who didn't even blink so that she'd not miss anything, to Oichi, and asked, "So which flower would she be?"

Suddenly, Yukimura charged at Kanetsugu and flung his spear upwards. Kanetsugu, not in time to dodge it, used his sword to protect himself from the blow. However, Yukimura didn't aim at him but at the very weapon; his spear struck with full force against it. The impact, too much for Kanetsugu's grip, caused his sword to be thrown upwards and eventually fall some meters away from the men. It was Yukimura's victory. Rinne's eyes widened as her lips curved into a big smile, her face flustered. She even let out a small squeal.

"Hmmmm… I wonder," Oichi replied playfully, glancing casually at Rinne.

Without saying anything to the two women, Rinne ran to the courtyard. As soon as she approached the men, she told something to Kanetsugu and then turned to Yukimura. Whatever she was saying, she looked absolutely ecstatic, smiling brightly at the victor.

"A sunflower," Oichi said, with a knowing smile.

"The flower which is always looking at the sun…" Ginchiyo continued, as they both looked at Yukimura getting slightly flustered as he was being hugged by Rinne for his victory.

* * *

_A.N.: Thanks for reading._


	5. Puzzle No 1

_A.N.: This one is more Heroine-centric than actual shipping. Also, thanks to everyone that has read, reviewed and liked the short stories so far._

* * *

It was 35°C outside and all she wanted was to cool off. The heat was bothering so much she was having trouble making even simple additions and multiplications. Accounting was never fun to her, and with the dry heat, it seemed to be hell for her. She wanted to cool down, relax and wait until it was night to focus on it. Maybe Motonari would help her, since Statistics and Math were never her strong suit. She wished Terrera had a fountain or a pool, or some place that didn't feel like hell. How the others, especially Shingen and Yukimura, weren't dying of dehydration under those many layers of clothes was beyond her. Vaporeon was most likely in her room, fighting against the heat. Maybe she should ask it to help her cool. Water attacks would come in handy in that moment.

So, she forced herself to stand up, leave the meeting room and walk to her bedroom. However, she had not even put a foot outside the room, when some strange noises caught her attention. They weren't loud, but she could hear them clearly. They almost had a rhythmical pattern; she wondered if someone was trying to play an instrument.

She followed the noise, trying to figure out what it was. It seemed to her as if someone was hitting two wooden sticks together, but she then wondered who would even do that. The noises were clearer and louder, she was close. As quietly as possible, she moved closer until she arrived to a door. Whatever it was, it was behind the _shoji_ door, on the wooden veranda that lead to the central garden. Carefully, she slide the door open and saw it.

A little Krokorok, busy smacking a wooden cylinder against the veranda.

The Krokorok, which hadn't noticed her presence, looked familiar. Not too sharp, but pretty energetic as the small dents in the floor could attest.

"So, where is Masanori, Krokorok?" she called. The little Pokemon turned, surprised and almost dropped the wooden cylinder it was carrying. Then, after noticing it was Rinne, it resumed to its activity of permanently damaging the floor.

She took the object from its paws, and the Pokemon started making a fuss. "Hey, you can't do that, you'll damage the floor!" she said, but Krokorok didn't stop and roared, jumping to catch the thing off her hands. She had to raise her hand above her head. "Masanori will get in trouble if someone finds you doing this!"

At those words, the Dark Pokemon shut up and sat on the floor. Now that it was still, she sat next to it, and asked, "So what were you doing with this thing?" She looked at it and then she realized it was a toy. It was a wooden cylinder with the bases connected between each other by 4 thin round sticks. Inside the cylinder, there was a big, red cube. She recognized it, it was a puzzle similar to the 'Hedgehog in the Cage'.

"Are you trying to solve this?" she asked, as she pointed at the toy. Krokorok nodded and then started crying, telling her the whole story.

Three days ago, Mitsunari, Kiyomasa, and Masanori were talking about their best quality. Mitsunari prided himself over his intelligence and started mocking Masanori. Masanori fought back, and eventually, they started a fight. Nothing unusual. However, Mitsunari and Kiyomasa then came up with something: Mitsunari would take back his words, calling Masanori an idiot, if he was able to solve a puzzle. The little toy she was now holding.

"So, all he has to do is solve it?" she said, as she looked at the puzzle, with a curious smile plastered in her face. Krokorok nodded agitatedly. "And you tried to help him?" She patted its head, "But you should be careful. You harmed the floor a little, but most importantly, you almost broke the toy. You shouldn't do that again."

The Pokemon sulked down and played with its paws. She then snorted and laughed a little. "I'm not angry or anything. And if you don't say a thing, I won't say anything as well." She eyed the puzzle, and then smiled at Krokorok, as she said, "Would you want some help to solve the puzzle?"

After Krokorok nodded eagerly, finally able to realize how to solve it so as to tell its Master what to do, she moved so that she was in front of it. She held the toy in front of Krokorok.

"The goal is to take out the cube without breaking the cylinder." She moved her index and middle finger, as well as her thumb inside the cylinder through one of the gaps it had, and held the red cube. "The cube is too big to take it between these gaps if you hold it like this," she said, as she did as she told, pulling the cube with her fingers, to no avail. It was so big it got stuck in between the wooden sticks. "This is why you have to hold it like this." She flicked a little the cylinder, so it was now at an angle, then she shook lightly the toy. The cube fell out of the cylinder, going through one of the gaps. She reinserted the cube, and repeated the move three times, for Krokorok to see. After that, she handed the toy to Krokorok. "It's important that you have it at that angle, so that the cube is in the best position to fall. Even if it doesn't fall in the first try, if you shake it gently as I held it, it'll fall."

Krokorok imitated her moves, holding the toy carefully, then inclined it and 'bam', the cube fell out. Then, Krokorok put the cube back into the cylinder, and cried happily. She smiled at the little Pokemon, it seemed so cheerful to know the trick. Before she could say anything more, Krokorok stood up and ran away into the castle, most likely to find Masanori. She let out a sigh and shrugged her shoulders.

"Well, I hope Masanori gets to solve it," she said, stretching her arms. As she was feeling her body relax, she suddenly remembered the dents on the wooden floor. "Crap, if someone sees me here, they'll think I did it. Time to go." And with that, she quickly stood up and ran towards her room.

* * *

_A.N.: Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it._


	6. Massage

_A.N.: I'll try to be more consistent in updating the new chapters. Thank you to whoever that has taken their time to read, review and like this story. Before going to it, I'll clarify some of the terms used in it._

_**Yukata**__ are casual __**kimonos**__ worn in summer, made of cotton. Similar as __**kimonos,**__ the person doesn't wear any Occidental underwear when dressing in one. They wrap around the body and use the __**obi**__ sash to hold it. They are traditionally seen in anime, especially in episodes that feature summer festivals._

_**Seiza**__ position is that in which Japanese people kneel, then sit so that they fold their legs under their thighs and their ankles are supporting their bottoms. Their back is kept straight. It was important in the past, one of the proper ways of sitting, but its usage has declined, only used in formal occassions like tea ceremonies. It can strain the knees and foreigners as well as modern Japanese people can't stay in that position for a long time._

* * *

It was a clear, sunny day, perfect to those who just wanted to lie in the grass, under a tree, and watch the clouds in the sky. It was an excellent opportunity to take a break from one's activities and enjoy the scenery, the cool breeze against the warmed skin bathed by the sunlight. Those who passed by the training grounds would bump into the fierce, earnest warlord Yukimura Sanada, as he was leaving the field. The sight of the crimson-clad young man would make anyone think that even he couldn't resist the charms of the fine weather.

Followed closely by Pignite, the young man walked slowly towards the castle, his room was his destination. His walk, normally energetic and strong, but disciplined, was lacking his usual enthusiasm, dragging his feet while slightly slouching. His heavy footsteps resounded in the hall as he drew closer to his room, he was surprisingly wishing to take off his armor, something that had never happened before. Counting the minutes it'd take him to get to the second floor was a torture and only Pignite was witness of it. The Pokemon was fully concerned of its master, but found itself unable to help him except for little signs of support.

Eventually they both reached their bedroom. With a swift movement, Yukimura unfastened the knots of his armor, his white _haori_ fell on the floor, followed by his heavy shoulder and breastplates, making a louder noise than he wanted. Whatever he expected after taking his armor didn't happen, as a disappointed frown flashed across his face. Silently apologizing to whomever that had been surprised or bothered by his indiscretion, he picked up his armor and arranged it with care next to his bed. Then, he wore a _yukata_, a red one unsurprisingly, but seemingly comfortable to withstand the heat.

Minutes later, the young warrior could be seen again in the garden swinging his spear, while a worried Pignite sat under a tree. Yukimura's stern expression stayed the same despite having changed what he was wearing. Something was bothering him, enough of a nuisance to interrupt his training every five or ten minutes. After an hour of little results and the insistence of his companion to just stop for that day, the young warrior finally decided to return and go to one of the common rooms, in search of something to distract him for the rest of the day.

On his way back, he met his friend Kanetsugu Naoe, who seemed unusually surprised to see Yukimura taking the day off. Even more so, when a friendly match request by Kanetsugu was politely declined.

"I am afraid I'm not in my best condition to fight," Yukimura had replied, ashamed of being forced to turn down such request.

Kanetsugu looked at his friend, shocked by the phrase Yukimura had just muttered. In all the time they had known each other, Yukimura had never refused to train or have a sparring contest against anyone. Suddenly, an idea flashed across his head, as he looked at Yukimura and smiled at him. "I understand, Yukimura! Always so honorable and dutiful."

Yukimura gave a confused look at Kanetsugu, who seemed to nod to himself. The red warrior was lost on whatever Kenshin's pupil had thought, but he had a certain feeling that he hadn't made himself clear, somehow.

"It's fine! I won't tell Lord Shingen you ditched your training to have a day off. Normally I would denounce someone running away from their duties, but this fine day has charmed you as well and you are always fulfilling your role. Yukimura, your secret is safe with me."

And before Yukimura could even open his mouth to protest, Kanetsugu went on his way, most likely to read one of his favorite books under a tree. Not pleased with the way his words were taken, he frowned. He wasn't training because he didn't want to. He shook his head, as we continued his march to a living room. Just as he slid the _tatami_ door open, he was greeted by a familiar, perky voice.

"Ah, Lord Yukimura!"

Kunoichi and Scraggy were walking down the hallway, rushing to meet their master as soon as they spotted him and Pignite. Then, Kunoichi's eyes widened and a small smile formed in her lips as she noticed the unusual clothing he was wearing.

"Lord Yukimura, perhaps have you decided to enjoy this day?" she asked happily, almost radiantly.

Yukimura shook his head as one of his hands reached unconsciously his neck. "I am afraid I have been forced to put my training on hold." He let out a wary sigh.

"You shouldn't say that! You are always working so hard, you should take this chance to relax, my lord," she said enthusiastically, as suddenly something occurred to her. "My lord, maybe you'd like to go to the town? It's a fine day outside and I was thinking perhaps…" Her voice faded away, as a sheepish smiled formed in her lips and she had to stop herself from playing with her fingers.

"I thank you for the offer, but I'd rather stay inside for the rest of the day."

"Ah…" trying to mask her dejection, the ninja girl took out a deep breath and then bowed. "In that case, we'll let you be, Lord Yukimura!" And with that, in the next second, both Scraggy and Kunoichi were gone.

Yukimura stared for a second at the place where Kunoichi had been seconds ago and shrugged. She was always like that, paying attention to him, and he was grateful for her good job. Still, he was bothered. He didn't want to take the day off, he couldn't, but everyone seemed to think otherwise. It might not seem like much to everyone else, but he prided himself secretly in his training and fulfilling his duty.

However, there wasn't anything he could do. Therefore, he entered the room in front of him and scanned it quickly. There were some books lying on a table, maybe he could try reading. He had never been much of a reader, but he could at least try. He sat next to the table and picked one of the books randomly, opening it in the beginning. He somehow missed the pair of legs on the other side of the table, as he started what it seemed to be a fantasy novel. Pignite on the other hand did notice they were not alone, but at the request of the other person, a finger before their lips, the Fire Pokemon kept quiet. It was more its wish to not interrupt his master, however.

The book was confusing to Yukimura, as several characters had been talking about some sort of dragon, and he was having a tough time following the story. He found himself rereading the first three pages, as he could barely remember who was who doing what. Minutes passed and he grew discontent with the story, he had gotten nowhere and he didn't know what was going on. At some point, he realized he felt he was being watched, a faint feeling but he dismissed it as he attempted to continue the story. Then, just as he scratched his head, then rubbed his neck, he heard a small chuckle from the other side of the table. Dumbfounded, he put down the book and noticed that Rinne Hanamura was attentively staring at him, with her hand resting on her chin, visibly amused at his reactions.

"Lady Rinne? When did you get here?" he asked, surprised.

She smiled, "I've been here all along."

"M-my apologies, I did not notice you were here."

She pouted as she shook her head. "I could tell. I'm not that unnoticeable that you wouldn't tell I was here, am I?" she reclaimed, as she crossed her arms against her chest.

"S-sorry, milady…" he hurried to say. He tried to say something else, but her casual shrug made him close his mouth.

"I'm used to it, no offense taken." He could tell she sighed, but found himself unsure if he wanted to inquiry further. "Anyway, how's it going with the sequel?" She asked, as her eyes shifted from his face to the book he was holding.

He unconsciously stared at the book as well, "What do you mean…?" He paused for a second, then realization hit him. "I see… So that is why I didn't understand what was going on."

She smiled broadly, as she held one of the books on the table, pulled it close to her chest, and closing her then let herself fall to the floor. He realized that she was most likely in that position when he entered the room. Not willing to be rude, he moved closer to her, as she found her sprawled on the floor, with Eevee curled up, fast asleep under her side of the table.

She opened her eyes, meeting his confused but intrigued glance, as she chuckled again. "I like to read like this sometimes."

From Yukimura's perspective, holding up a book above one's head seemed inconvenient and not the best way to read. However, he chose to not say that aloud, out of respect of her hobbies. "I see," he said, not able to hide his slight questioning tone.

"I like your _yukata_, it fits you well," she suddenly said, perplexing him for a second from the sudden shift between reading habits to his clothes. She pointed at the garment, and added, "Red really suits you, I like it." It took her some seconds to point at it, accidentally pointing at his face, as she was looking at him upside down. She found herself amused at the change of scenery, which made her smile.

Meanwhile, Yukimura was clueless on what he could reply or how he could accept the comment. Part of him told him it could be a compliment, but he wasn't entirely sure. He certainly didn't want to make a statement and discover he had misunderstood her. He sat as straight as he could, before he found his body slightly slouching, earning a worried look from Pignite.

Rinne, still looking at him from the floor, arched an eyebrow. "So you aren't wearing the _yukata_ because of choice, right? How long has your neck been hurting?"

Yukimura blinked, surprised, as his hand went to his neck, trying to soothe the pain. "How did you…?"

"Well," she brought a finger to her lips. "You always sit straight and can stay in that position for a long time, but… right now, you can't stay like that for more than seconds. And you never, ever, slouch. Oh, and I could hear your footsteps. You were dragging your feet. At first I thought you were Shingen, he drags when he walks, yours is more like a march… You seem tired."

He slouched again, then, sat straight, fully conscious of her description just now. However, he couldn't mask a small unpleasant frown, caused by the uncomfortable sensation in his shoulders, something that had been bothering him all day long.

"I guess that and the rubbing your neck thing also says a lot," she added casually. Getting up the floor, and sitting as straight as she could, she asked, "Your armor weights a lot, right? I can bet you my entire collection of books that you took it off thinking you would feel better."

Yukimura nodded silently. It was true it was heavy, but he was used to it. He normally didn't mind it, but as time went by, he would begin to feel the weight and develop a sore back and neck. It was something common to him, and usually manageable, but there were times the pain wouldn't go away nor could be ignored as he normally did. It ashamed him to admit that.

"So, you are here because your back pain interrupted your training."

"You don't think I stopped because of the weather?"

"I wish you would," she said with a smile. "But I know you'd be dead first than taking a day off." She cleared her throat, and frowned, speaking in a deep, zealous tone, "Yukimura Sanada will train today with all his might!"

He coughed, slightly embarrassed at her impersonation of him. It wasn't spot on, he thought, but he couldn't deny there was some truth to her words.

"But I'm glad you are taking today off. You do seem tired."

He looked at her, unsure of what to say. He wasn't able to reply he was in good condition, as he felt his shoulders and back completely rigid, where the slightest movement would cause a sharp pain. The things he could do in that state were highly limited, even further with he not knowing what to do with the spare time he had right then. He had never found anything to amuse himself with on his time off. It always went to training or friendly matches. However, he hadn't really stopped to ask himself if he was tired, or if he felt tired. Sometimes, he felt his body grow heavy, but he usually 'fixed' that by sparring or taking short breaks. He thought it was natural that as time went by, his shoulders would become a little tense.

Rinne noticed he had gone quiet and worried for a second if she had said something that would be interpreted badly, as she knew she was quite good at it, much to her dismay. She had prided herself a little in reading him and figuring out he had back pain. The last thing she wanted was to be replied that he felt in top shape and she had misinterpreted his actions and body language or being told she was prying too much. Clearing her throat, and hoping to switch the topic slightly, she asked "So, you plan to take the day off, hoping tomorrow you'll feel better?"

He nodded slowly, enduring another jab in the back of his neck. That was his plan, but he wasn't so certain it would work as well and that he'd feel better so easily.

"Let me take a look," she said. Before he could answer, she was already kneeling behind him with her fingers pressed lightly against his neck. However, he didn't know if it was her presence behind him or the wariness her action could injure him that he leaned forward brusquely, groaning quietly in pain.

"I didn't even touch you…" she mumbled as she frowned, a mix of confusion, worry and slight annoyance mixed in her face. His overreaction at first startled her, slightly offending her, but then she realized maybe Yukimura was either too wary of someone else touching him or…

He ran his hand on the back of his neck, a silly way to prevent her from touching him again, as he said, "I'll be fine, Lady Rinne. It's noth-_ack_!"

Just as he was talking, she pressed her index finger against his shoulder and an unpleasant stabbing sensation spread from the place she had touched through his shoulders, almost making him think she had stabbed him with something.

"Sure, '_I'll be fine_'," she said, not outright mocking him, but with a hint of sarcasm, which he never expected her to use.

"Please… I'll ask you to refrain from-" he stopped abruptly as he saw her moving next to him, and she pressed a finger against his arm. He expected her to jab her finger the same way he thought she had done on his shoulder, but nothing. He felt the pressure she applied, nothing enough to cause any pain, as she went all the way from his arm to his hand. Not once it hurt. Then, she turned at him, giving him a serious look.

"This is the same pressure I used in your shoulder."

He stared back, perplexed, then turned to the arm she had been poking. There were no traces or marks of what she had done, no pain. Was she so sure that she used the same force?

Almost as if she had read his mind, with a slightly offended tone she replied, "I can do the same thing going upwards to your arm and prove it is the same, but it'll hurt."

"No!" he quickly interjected, making her scowl. "It's not necessary…"

"I'm not doing it to injure you," she said, upset, as she turned away. "I was just trying to help," she muttered under her breath.

He heard her words and felt remorseful over his reaction. She was trying to see what was wrong with him, even if her methods were too brusque or if she was invading his private space. He couldn't help thinking he was being ungrateful.

Trying to make amends with her, with a more polite and careful tone, he asked, "What do you mean, Lady Rinne?"

"Your back is too tense, same as your shoulders. I needed to see how bad it was," she replied, and for a second, he could swear her voice was colder than usual. "I wasn't going to jab my fingers at your shoulder," she added. He lowered his gaze, looking at the floor.

She looked away, the scowl still in her face. "You need to relax your muscles or the pain won't go away."

He turned at her, noticing her frown, something that made him perplexed. He was clueless at what he had done that would earn such a cold reply, but still felt responsible for it. "I usually train when the pain is too much. Train with more breaks that usual."

At his explanation, she gaped at him, wondering if he had just been joking. The dumbfounded look she shot at him made him wonder if he had said something wrong. He wasn't the relaxing type, he just did what he knew to do. Still looking at him, he felt as the guilty party for some reason, she said, "Training won't help the pain, it'll make it worse! You need to relax, not… I guess that is why your back is like it is now."

Now he didn't know why she got so worked up over his back. It hurt, he couldn't move, but it was something that happened. He was willing to make amends for whatever he had done, until the words "_You need a massage_" left her mouth. He immediately shook his head in response to them, causing him to wince in pain. It was an involuntary reaction for him, and his reaction only caused her scowl to deepen.

"I-I will be fine…" he interjected weakly, to which she looked away again. He knew she was trying to make him feel better and he was grateful for that. But he wouldn't get a massage. Not after last time.

Rinne felt so frustrated that she wanted to scream. She could see he was in bad condition and the easiest and best way to help him was with a massage. She had some experience, at least with Pokemon, but she knew the basics. She could try to do something, but his blatant refusal hurt her. She was trying hard to not take it personal, but she was failing, as Yukimura would just refuse but not say anything else. He usually accepted things from others, especially when Kunoichi or Shingen or Kanetsugu asked him, but her attempt was so blatantly dismissed. Bothered by this, she just wanted to leave. She got up, clearly annoyed, "In that case, I guess there is nothing I have to do here."

It was Pignite, who had been silently watching them, that stopped her from leaving, or rather, storming out of the room. The Fire Pokemon tugged the girl's skirt, causing her to look down. Her angry face then faded, as she realized the little Pokemon was trying to tell her something, privately. She knelt down, and lent her ear, to which the Pokemon whispered something. Yukimura could only wonder what his companion was saying, as he saw her face changed to a painful, then a distressed look. After Pignite was done, Rinne glanced at Yukimura, worry written all over her face.

"I-I… I didn't know, I am sorry," she apologized, as she tucked her bangs behind her ear nervously, suddenly feeling embarrassed and guilty for lashing at him.

He was still in the dark, but as he saw his Pignite bow in apology, he realized the topic. It was his turn to frown, not angry at the Pokemon, but at the fact that something he was ashamed to admit had been told.

"I am sorry…" she apologized again, quietly. "I didn't know you had a painful experience with massages before…" She was playing with her hands and skirt, embarrassed to look at him, the sensation of having pried too much on his privacy and treating him badly weighted on her shoulders.

He let out a sigh, as much as he wanted that to be a secret between the involved people, now he saw little use to keep quiet about it. Before speaking, he motioned Pignite to come closer, which the Pokemon did, wary and remorseful for sharing private things of its master to someone else against his wishes. Yukimura's face softened as he patted the Pokemon's head.

"You did it for my sake, didn't you, Pignite?" he told his partner before taking a deep breath.

It had happened two years ago. Kai of Cragspur was visiting Terrera at the same time he experienced a similar problem he had now. Both Kai and Kunoichi had learned of it and insisted on giving him a massage, which he had accepted. He had never had one before and thought it'd be rude to refuse the offer, also hopeful that it'd help his back. After making him change into a towel, and asking him to lay on a bed, the two girls started arguing on who would start.

Kunoichi won and started her business, rubbing his back and shoulders energetically. The first minutes it felt decent enough, until she picked up the pace, rubbing too hard on sore spots of his back, causing him unexpected pain that he tried to mask, unsuccessfully. Then, Kai exposed Kunoichi's actions and decided to take over, hitting his back relentlessly in what she thought were good moves to soothe his back ache. He didn't have the heart to say that in fact, he felt his entire body being punched by an Ursaring, but his expression betrayed his stoic façade he was trying to pull. Then, everything went to hell for him.

The rest of the massage session Kunoichi and Kai fought over who gave the best massage, on his already sore body. For an hour, he endured more beatings than he had in his recent battles, punches and rough rubs disguised as massage, pinching his back as they tried to get rid of the knots of his back but only causing more harm than good. Eventually, the battle was declared null, he couldn't choose a winner and the girls left to continue bickering. All he knew was that he had lost completely, not feeling even relieved of his back pain and had to endure three weeks of the results of their 'relaxing session'. From that day on, he bowed to just keep his back pain to himself until he figured out a way to make it go away or just ignore it until he stopped feeling it.

Rinne listened to his story attentively, having gotten the general idea from Pignite, but not the finer details that made her cringe. While Yukimura tried to be his stoic self, some of his movements, like his unconscious neck-rubbing action whenever he said something that must have been painful to him told a different story. His face would sometimes show pain, as he recalled the memories, the only thing she could liken it was being battered like a ragged doll and then thrown away. She felt ashamed of herself and her treatment of him, most notably on her tone when she asked him if there was anything she could do.

"I think I'm good at massages," she said, but with a slight wondering question. "I can give you one but… I don't know if you'd want any after what happened." She wanted to sound confident, she didn't feel particularly proud of herself overall, but when it dealt to things she knew, she was sure of her skills. Except that this time, the notion of failure made her nervous. She didn't want to open her mouth and then fail spectacularly.

Yukimura, on the other hand, wasn't really enthusiastic by her idea. It wasn't that he didn't trust her completely, or maybe it had a little to do, but he was wary that this second session would end like the first one. However, part of him felt guilty for judging her skills without any proof. After minutes of silent deliberation, moved by the duty he had due her offer, he accepted. He was quietly mustering all of his courage and willpower to stay stoic, should the situation arise.

Rinne wasn't so dense to realize he was doing it more for her than for him. As awkward as she felt with the situation, she had to go on with it. Scratching her neck, she said with a nervous laugh, "Um, so… Ok, if you want so. I think we should just do it casual…?"

"Casual?"

"I mean, not with a full blown massage? Just shoulders and neck, maybe your hands too…" She looked at their surroundings. She could work with that, and it'd help if he felt uncomfortable. Then, something caught her attention.

Yukimura was unfastening the _obi_-knot of his _yukata_, making her blush as she quickly looked away. "Wha-wh-what are you doing?!"

The warrior stared at her confused, stopping midway, his belt not unfastened completely. "I thought I had to take off my clothes?"

She frantically tugged her hair behind her ears as she bit her lip, "No, I mean yes, I mean, it's up to you, what makes you more comfortable…"

Yukimura closed his eyes, trying to recall what had happened that day, the moments when he wasn't agonizing in pain. "But Lady Kai had said I had to… Or I wouldn't be able to feel better?"

"She did?"

"Kunoichi said something too, but then she said I had to, I'd not be able to relax with my clothes."

Rinne stared at Yukimura, as a stern expression flashed across her face. She knew there was some truth to what he had said, but something told her that asking him to take his clothes off wasn't entirely for his relaxation. She tried to hide the frown she was making as she huffed quietly. She imagined Kunoichi and Kai convincing Yukimura to take off his clothes and… She shut her eyes, biting her tongue just to prevent herself from saying anything.

"Lady Rinne?" he cautiously asked, after she had grown quiet, confused about what he had done as she suddenly seemed displeased.

"It's nothing," she grumbled, as she puffed out her cheeks.

He didn't understand and was almost going to ask again if there was something bothering her, as she clearly seemed upset about something. However, her reaction at his question was strong enough to consider how good prying further would be. Instead, he cleared his throat and said, "In that case, would you mind if I stayed on my _yukata_?"

At the sight of her negative response, he almost sighed relieved. While he had agreed to do it back then, he had felt all the time uncomfortable as sometimes he sensed the women staring at him for too long. He couldn't bring himself up to ask them to stop looking at him so intensively and just endured it but… It wasn't something he enjoyed at all.

"We can do it here," she said, as she picked up the books and papers lying on the table.

Yukimura's eyes went from the table to her, as he wondered if she expected him to lie on the table. "Should I rest on the table?" he asked, with a subtle skeptical tone.

"What I'll do won't need it. You can just sit as straight as you can or lean on the table, though I think you'd be uncomfortable. Also, maybe you'd avoid sitting in _seiza_ position?"

"Is there a problem if I sit in that position?"

"Well, you are taller than me, so in that position, you'll be even taller even if I kneel… And after a while, you'll relax so maybe you should sit in a position that doesn't stress much your knees?"

"Should I sit with my legs crossed?" he asked, as he switched the position. He wasn't really sure how his sitting would affect the massage or his body, but he thought that he should just obey quietly. Then, a thought crossed his mind, "Milady, you have done this before, right?"

"Yes, with Pokemon, why?"

He glanced at her, unsure if he should voice his doubts. He wanted to trust her but he was not so comfortable with the idea of being what it seemed a test subject. Back then, both women had assured him they knew what they were doing and the results weren't pretty.

She huffed, "I know what I'm doing!" He avoided doing any movement that might show any sign of suspicion or skepticism, even though he was feeling that. "I'll have you know, Pokemon are far more delicate than humans in terms of massages."

He wasn't one to pry on debates, nor thought himself to be a smart man, but he couldn't help but wonder how she could say that. "But how could you know that, if you haven't done it with a man before?" he said.

At his words, she flushed, his wording in that sentence was so wrong. "I just have a hunch, ok?"

He was leaving his well-being to a hunch. He took a deep breath, trying to think of the situation as a challenge he had to overcome to improve himself. However, when he felt her hands on his shoulders, he couldn't help but shiver and lean forward.

She sighed as she moved next to him. "You have to try and sit still. But it's important to tell me if you feel uncomfortable. We can stop at any time, whenever you say you just want it over. I'll try to not injure you, but you have to trust me." She looked at him straight in the eye, as he stared back, with mixed feelings on the matter.

He thought for a moment, and after taking a deep breath and clearing his mind, he just decided what he should do, trust her. "My apologies, milady. Please, continue."

She felt her cheeks warm up as he gave his approval and moved back behind him. She couldn't mess this up, she had to concentrate and get the job done properly. She started by fitting the behind of his _yukata_. She'd work with him wearing it, so she had to be careful of the pressure applied, as well as the folds the clothing would make. Her hands timidly rested on his shoulders, almost as if she was having second thoughts on the matter. But she couldn't back off. Thinking, '_I can do this_', she started.

Her hands went over his back with broad, slow moves, as she got used to the _yukata_ impeding her movement. She went from his upper back until half-way through, worried she'd invade his privacy by moving her hands lower. Straight moves with irregular pressure, she kept an eye to his position. He wasn't complaining or making any remark. However, she knew she could do better. Another shot, and there she had it, even pressure as she rubbed his back with broad strokes, up and down. As she moved, she could sense some spots that were so tense, but she'd deal with those later. Right then, she wanted him just to relax.

It was an unusual sensation to him. It wasn't unpleasant at all, but he had to get used to it. Up and down he could feel her hands, gently and slowly, almost worried she'd be hurting him. He had to admit he didn't feel much relief, but little by little he noticed his muscles relaxing as she caressed him. She pressed her palms when going down, and her fingertips when going up, he could tell. As she went, his shoulders slumped a little, not holding anymore that stiff straight position he was trying to keep. It was as if his body was starting to succumb to the massage effects. He closed his eyes.

Minutes passed and Rinne had gotten enough confidence. The _yukata_ was getting in the way, but she could still feel his muscles moving as she pressed her hands. Renewed with confidence, she continued with four broad strokes, slow and tender, as she spoke quietly, "I'm going to switch to your shoulders."

He nodded and then, she moved upwards and rested her palms on his shoulders. That seemed to be tricky, as she wondered what would be the best way to do it. She tried the most basic move she knew, but the clothesmade her motions sloppy, with folds slowing her down. She was doing it lightly, so she didn't hear him groan in pain but…

"If I can help you, I can uncover my shoulders?" he asked.

"Do you mind if I just move my hands under your _yukata_? You'll just need to loosen it a little."

Nodding, Yukimura did as told, and she nervously placed her hands underneath his clothes, directly feeling his skin. It was the first time she was touching a man like that, it was a massage she reminded herself, but it didn't stop her cheeks burning. However, it worked much better. She could sense perfectly his skin and muscles, stroking him lightly to get to know how sensitive he was. After some light warm up, she tried again. She pressed her thumbs against his shoulders, upwards, in a slow circular motion, as she worked from the extremes moving to his neck. All moves were done tenderly, she knew what she was doing, making sure not a single place was left without attention.

He squinted his eyes, as whatever she had done was making the tension he was feeling go away, almost bringing a pleasurable feeling. At times her fingertips would rub his front in circles, pressing firmly, but not jabbing. Her touch was light, almost preparing him for a second round. He was right. After a start with light touches, she went again, this time, pressing a little harder. Her hands halted, waiting for his comment, if she was being too rough, but he didn't feel any pain. She continued, moving in circles all over his shoulder muscles, muscles that were tense an hour ago now started to move freely. It was his imagination most likely, but he felt she was taking away a heavy weight from him. Firm and slowly, she worked on his shoulders, strokes that were continuous and thorough.

Rinne couldn't say she wasn't enjoying it. Her heart was in fact racing frantically, as she was pouring all of her energy and focus on the massage and him. Part of her was disappointed for some reason that he was in his clothes, but another was much more relieved as she was able to concentrate better. It was just that she was getting a faint idea of his build and she… Her mind sidetracked, she shut her eyes and shook her head, trying to think of what was important. Yukimura groaned a little in pleasure, unexpectedly, putting her on edge. She couldn't hide a bright smile that formed her lips, proud that he was relaxing and enjoying it. It was a surprise to him as well, he didn't mean to, but the sigh escaped his lips. He realized he liked it, it was pleasant to him.

She took a deep breath, it was time to get rid of some of his knots. She prayed silently that it'd work out well, if there was a point where it'd hurt it was this time. She timidly cleared her throat, making him mutter some vague answer, his thoughts were drifting away.

"I am going to work on some knots… I'll have to be rough… No, I mean, I'll press you hard and, um, it might hurt a little but it's normal! Just tell me if it's too much," she blabbed nervously.

"Wha—?" He absentmindedly asked, his head started feeling quite light and somehow thinking straight was becoming difficult.

She arranged her hair, it was ok but she had to do it, as she breathed in and out slightly flustered. Then, she remembered where one of the tensest places of him was. She bit her lower lip as she swallowed hard. '_Focus, focus,_' she thought to herself.

She rubbed the area around it, trying to relax it before dealing with the lump. She knew it was important so that the muscle would release. Fragments of Yukimura's tale flashed on her head, including some punches when trying to get rid of knots and she scowled. Her hands were shaking, she was getting worked up. She held her breath, she knew what to do, she had done it before. Ok, maybe it had been with Pokemon, but she never hurt one before. Still, the thought that she might injure Yukimura made her unusually terrified. But she was going to prove it, she had to do it.

Strokes and strokes, then, it was the real deal. She pressed her thumb on the lump on his back, her ears attentive to even the lightest detail, focused mainly on his breathing and movements. "P-please breathe," her voice cracked, sounding almost hysterical. She immediately shut her eyes in embarrassment, what a way to lose her cool.

Yukimura would be lying if he said he felt nothing. He sensed her finger jabbing, but despite expecting a sharp pain, nothing of the sort came. At most, it was a discreet mildly unpleasant sensation. Then, he heard her words. He was unsure what good would come, but he just obeyed and took a deep breath. His lungs filled with air, her hand still pressed against him and then, the muscle relaxed. Rinne could feel it, as the tiny lump just disappeared and the muscle was finally released. Ecstatic it had gone so well, she squealed aloud, both proud and absolutely relieved at it.

Yukimura tried turning around, mildly curious by her outburst. She noticed his intention and immediately pressed her hands against his back, stroking rather bashfully the area where the lump had been as she felt her cheeks burning. She had been so loud, how uncool of her. Yukimura would probably be embarrassed of her or think she was ridiculous. However, those thoughts didn't cross his mind. Her outburst, while it startled him at first, amused him greatly as a faint smile in his face could reveal. He wouldn't tell, but for a second there he thought that was cute.

Still shy about it, Rinne continued treating his knots as best as she could with the minimum squealing. Of those, only two were too stubborn and would need another session, but she had done a good job, if she could say so herself. Yukimura could attest to that, as he felt his shoulders and upper back surprisingly light, at moments he was drifting between awareness and slumber. He barely reacted as she placed her palm on the back of his neck as she pressed gently the tense muscles. However, it didn't mean he was unaware of what she was doing, as he enjoyed the way her fingers worked on his neck, feeling his tension go away, lulling him further into drowsiness. She worked up her way up, after spending several minutes on his neck, with her thumbs rubbing in circles gently his scalp. In another situation, this action would have put him unusually tense, but somehow that excitement faded as his body just succumbed to her touch. Just sitting was starting to prove difficult, with his body threatening to fall at any second.

Then he felt her fingers soothing his temples, the muscles in his forehead relaxed and he was no longer frowning. His jaw, he never thought it was tense but her moves proved him wrong as he stopped clenching it and felt released. What she did, he just didn't know, all he felt was his body light, the lightest since he could remember, dozing off in a pleasant stupor. Rinne could feel his face, his muscles relaxing under her fingers. His features, she wanted to see that expression, tension turning into relaxation, but she couldn't. She could only rely on what her fingertips felt and her ears heard. His breathing was becoming deeper and slower, he was ready to fall asleep at any minute. He had underestimated the effect the massage would have on him.

She told him something, whispering to his ear; feeling her warm breath on his ear made something inside him burning. He couldn't really focus, just hearing her voice but not understanding her words. Then, she got up and left the room, leaving him, Pignite and a still sleeping Eevee. Ghostly sensations, Yukimura could still sense her hands working on his shoulders or his neck, caressing his jaw or rubbing his temples. He had to cover his face, his eyes, as he relived those sensations. Just a few minutes ago she finished, yet he found that his heart was beating fast, almost racing, and his face felt unusually hot. He wasn't able to see his flushed cheeks nor his lips curved in a mixed expression, uncertainty and bliss. He had to breathe deeply even in his state, trying to calm down and quell that unfamiliar sensation on his chest.

Rinne had gone for some blankets, she knew they'd come in handy after she saw Yukimura at the end of their session. She had trouble finding spares and carrying them all the way back to the room. For a second, she regretted not bringing Pignite with her, but she knew the Pokemon would keep an eye on its master. As she slid the door open and entered as quietly as she could, she was greeted with a one-of-a-kind scene. It was 5 pm yet the mighty and unyielding Yukimura Sanada had fallen asleep, resting his face on the table he was sitting next to, Pignite at his side. She let out a sigh, as she smiled at the man in front of her.

* * *

The room was unusually lit, Yukimura covered his face. It was time to wake up and go training like he always did, rising when the sun rose. He opened his eyes, it took him seconds to register he wasn't in his room. Lying on his back, his eyes scanned the place. The bookshelves, the table which he had sat next to and was now in a corner of the room; he sat up, stirring up a little and sighing in relief, and noticed the makeshift bed and pillows under him, as well as the blanket he had been covered with. Pignite, at the sight of him, came closer and handed in a small paper, something it had been instructed to do.

"_Good morning, sleepy head. I hope you feel better,_" it read in a slightly sloppy writing, Rinne's.

"Just how long have I been sleeping…?" he wondered, as it was too bright for it to be 6 am.

His thoughts were interrupted as someone knocked the door, rather loudly, Pignite walked to open it. Rinne entered the room carrying a tray, struggling to not drop the vase full of orange juice that shook with every step she took. With difficulty, she reached the table and managed to leave the tray without any incident as Yukimura watched her silently. As soon as she was done, he exclaimed, "Good morning…?" to which she nearly jumped, not having realized he was awake. He was thankful he had waited until that moment to call her.

She took a deep breath, he had startled her, and then with a smile, she replied, "Actually, it's good afternoon. It's past noon. How are you feeling?"

He counted with his head the hours he had been asleep, around 18 or so he thought. Seeing his confused stare, she laughed a little.

"You look much better now."

His body felt light as a feather and full of energy, he had never been in such a great form in months, maybe years. Then, his stomach growled loudly which he tried to hide with a cough, hearing a muffled chuckle.

"M-my apologies," he mumbled, embarrassed, inclining his head in apology. He hadn't eaten something since yesterday's morning and now his body was reminding him of that fact at the worst moment.

"I got you some breakfast," she said as she ordered the plates in the table carefully. "I managed to get a little bit of everything before the others." He stood up and walked towards the table, sitting next to her. "I can go warm up some of the food if you wish to."

He shook his head as he smiled at her. "You have my gratitude, Lady Rinne."

She smiled sheepishly as she scratched the back of her neck, chuckling nervously. "It was nothing… I-I will let you eat. Have a nice day." And with that she left.

* * *

It was half past 6, Yukimura was walking energetically past the halls, his head turning from time to time, almost as if he was looking for someone, Pignite following closely. He checked the room he had fallen asleep, no one was there. He searched the entire first floor, but nothing. No one in the stairs was to be found either. Then, just as he was passing by one of the windows of the second floor hall, he saw her staring down at the garden, carrying Eevee in her arms. He moved closer, clearing his throat to get her attention.

"Lady Rinne?" he asked, making her turn around.

"Oh, Yukimura. How's your day been so-" Her eyes wandered from his face to the flowers he was holding carefully. A couple of sunflowers. Then, she looked back up, looking at him curiously.

He held them in front of her, bowing politely as he spoke, "I didn't know how to thank you for what you did. I put you through a lot during the session and for that I apologize. Thanks to you, I was able to relax and rest and now I am feeling in excellent condition. I am aware it is not much, but please accept this small token of my appreciation."

She stared at him for a second, Eevee jumping away from her arms, as she received the flowers. Her eyes wide open at the present, she looked at them enraptured, they were beautiful.

"I-I did nothing that-" she struggled to say, as she turned to him.

He shook his head. "You did something that no one else could. This is the least I can do."

Her face became bright red at his words, as she unconsciously held the flowers close to her. "Thank you," she managed to say as the words threatened to die in her throat.

He stared for a second, eyeing her face curiously and slightly worried. "Are you alright, milady? Your face is red." She put a hand over her cheek, it was burning, as he said, "Maybe you are getting a fever. You should take care of yourself."

"I… I am fine! Really!" she muttered as she bit her bottom lip, looking at him and trying with all her might to not break eye contact, even though she wanted to cover her face. However that seemed to convince him.

"Now, if you'll excuse us," he bowed politely before turning around and both warlord and Pokemon began walking away.

"M-maybe we can do it again some other time?!" she exclaimed

Yukimura turned around, an unusually shy expression showed on his face. "I-I would gratefully accept your offer." Then, with a small nod, he left.

Her eyes never lifted as they followed him until he was out of sight, then she pressed the sunflowers against her chest and hid her face between the flowers. Her heart was racing frantically as she wondered if it had been a coincidence or if he just happened to know that sunflowers were her favorite flower.

* * *

_A.N.: Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it._


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